Chinese products have started crowding into Tanjung Priok port following the implementation of the Asean-China Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA) earlier this year.

Up until the third week of the month, four ships carrying commodities imported from China had entered the busiest port in Indonesia, Bisnis Indonesia reported.

The ships are the Wan Hai 261 ship docking at the Jakarta International Container Terminal and carrying 450 import boxes and 300 export boxes, MV Bunga Raya Satu docking at the Koja Container Terminal and carrying 269 import boxes and 369 export boxes, MV Yuang Tong docking at dock 112 and carrying 2,829 tonnes of imported steel plates and MV Ocean Crown docking at dock 203 and carrying 8,132 tonnes of imported chemical materials.

The Tanjung Priok-branch State port operator Pelindo II Hambar Wiyadi revealed the operator had permitted the four ships from the ports in China, Shanghai, and Qindao to dock.

He added in 2009 the flow of imported goods from China ranked seventh after Australia, Africa, the United States, Japan, Europe, and the Middle East.

However, the flow of imported containers and general cargoes from China following the ACFTA is estimated to increase.

In 2009, general cargo import from China via Priok reached 697,659 tonnes, while export to China via Priok reached 214,032 tonnes. In the meantime, containers imported from and export to China reached 194,924 TEUs and 108,595 TEUs, respectively.

Hambar added the implementation of the 24-hour service at Tanjung Priok port since January 16 had been helpful in moving cargoes and containers in and out of the port.